title: [Use of health resources and loss of productivity in gastroesophageal reflux disease: results of a cross-sectional study in a primary care setting in Spain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate healthcare resource use and productivity in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the influence of disease severity on these two factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sub-analysis of the Spanish population of a multinational study with a 4-month retrospective period for the identification and selection of patients, and a clinical visit to obtain clinical information and data on use of healthcare resources, carried out between October 2007 and January 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 477 patients attending a Primary Care centre, with a medical consultation for GERD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Use of healthcare resources, changes in productivity based on the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for GERD patients (WPAI-GERD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite having received pharmacological treatment at the baseline visit, after a median of 5.1 months follow-up (range 2.1-8.1), up to 15.9% (95% CI; 12.8-19.5) patients still showed clinically relevant GERD symptoms. Direct medical costs per year associated with diagnostic tests and medical consultations in patients with or without clinically relevant GERD symptoms were 666 € (SD: 2,097 €) and 370 € (SD: 2,060 €), respectively. The mean annual cost of reduced productivity (17%) was 5,316 € (SD: 8,615 €). This cost was 4 times higher for patients with clinically relevant GERD symptoms than for patients with no relevant symptoms (15,188 € [SD: 11,206 €] vs 3,926 € [SD: 7,232 €]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with GERD use significant healthcare resources, attributable to associated medical costs and marked reduction in productivity, even though they receive pharmacological treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento Médico, AstraZeneca Farmacéutica Spain, S.A., España. javier.nuevo@astrazeneca.com
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nuevo
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tafalla
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zapardiel
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gisbert
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013030:Spain